Assembly speaker outlines goals

The 73rd session of the Nevada Legislature opened for business Monday with an admonition from Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins that it not be another session like 2003.

"In the last legislative session we did a disservice to our constituents," he said.

Perkins, D-Henderson, charged that both Republicans and Democrats "made the joint mistake of false pride and misplaced loyalty." He said the result was partisan bickering, damaged relationships between legislators and damaged reputations of lawmakers in the public's eye.

"We're not going back there again - period," he said.

Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, said he too wants to avoid the ill will and anger that marked the 2003 session.

"I'd love to see us act in a more collegial fashion and I applaud him for that," he said.

Perkins, who has made no secret of his desire to run for governor in two years, also took the opportunity to outline a few of his legislative goals.

He began by serving notice he disagrees with the proposal by Gov. Kenny Guinn and Treasurer Brian Krolicki to sell $100 million in bonds to shore up the Millennium Scholarship program. He said the state has money in its surplus to do that without selling bonds and paying interest for the next 20 years.

"We have the money to do the right thing, so let's do it now," he said.

He called on lawmakers to pass a $1 increase in the state minimum wage. Perkins said voters strongly supported the increase, and workers shouldn't have to wait two more years until the voters can pass it into law.

He said lawmakers also need to "put more teeth in our ethics laws." He said after scandals in Southern Nevada - violations of the open meeting law by the Board of Regents and impeachment charges against Controller Kathy Augustine, among other problems - it's time to pass criminal penalties for such things as filing false campaign contribution and expense reports.

Perkins said he and the Nevada Attorney General have been working on a legislative proposal that will include "three strikes, and you're out" for ethical violations.

He called for three programs to help Nevadans called to active duty in the Iraq War, including a sales-tax exemption for their families, a $250,000 life insurance policy for each service member and a "mortgage amnesty" from Nevada banks.

"They should not have to lose their homes while they forego their private income to keep us safe," he said.

He said the state should consider a property tax exemption on the first $50,000 of a home's taxable value to control rising property taxes.

He also repeated the Democratic caucus call for a state lottery that could generate some $40 million a year for education.

Several lawmakers - even members of Perkins' own caucus - described the speech as a campaign speech, even though Perkins earlier said he would try to keep his political aspirations out of the session.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, who has also been considering a run for governor, commented on it when she rose to introduce her guests Monday, saying she was not going to deliver a "gubernatorial campaign speech like the one down the hall."

Perkins declined comment on that remark.

n Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.